Walking dogs in the winter....

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Replies

  • Candi_land
    Candi_land Posts: 1,311 Member
    55 degrees isn't bad, your dog should be fine. If you're really worried about her being cold you can always buy her a doggy sweater.
  • shirleyh1946
    shirleyh1946 Posts: 100 Member
    I live in the Snowbelt in PA. I have 2 dogs=Toy Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. The Cocker loves the outside no matter what the weather is. The Toy Poodle is a WUS!!! Hates to get his paws wet!!! Does better in Snow, though.
    So as far as Walking with them-No Problem It gets really Cold here and a lot of Snow. Last night we got between 8 to 10 inches. If it's Windy they will cut our Walk short-they don't like Wind!! Strange!!:smile:
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    I have an Australian Shepard/Collie mixed dog, so she has a grip of fur, but its going to be about 55 degrees out when I want to go walking this morning. Is that too cold to take her with me? I would go walking at night in the summer to avoid her overheating, but not sure if she would be too cold to go out in the weather we have now. I live in California, so 55 is extremely cold lol

    I live in MO. Last night we took our dog China (an Australian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees mix) for a 1 mile walk. It was around 20F at the time. The dog was loving it, especially the deer we saw. She always gets more active when the temp gets below 60F.

    I get that you think 55 is cold, as my wife grew up in FL, and jokes about how she used to see people on the beach in 60F weather and think they were crazy, and last year we were the folks on the beach in 60F weather.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I know that people do put sweaters and jackets on dogs. And, I have seen certain dogs shiver in the cold. But, I gotta say, I am not convinced that sweaters and jackets are a good idea for furred animals. One of the ways that fur works -- the way it is able to keep seals warm when swimming under ice -- is by lifting up. Then it holds air (or water) next to the animal's body and the warmth of the body heats the air, which provides a layer of insulation. It is the same way a wet suit works. It seems to me that, if you put a sweater on the animal, it is not going to be able bristle up its fur to create that layer.
  • bowbeforethoraxis
    bowbeforethoraxis Posts: 138 Member
    I agree with everyone above about 55 not being too cold, I took my retriever mix out for a walk last night when it was 22, and she loved it. In my experience, dogs are pretty good about letting you know when they're not comfortable. My current dog has never had a problem, she loves rolling in the snow to get completely covered.
    I know that people do put sweaters and jackets on dogs. And, I have seen certain dogs shiver in the cold. But, I gotta say, I am not convinced that sweaters and jackets are a good idea for furred animals. One of the ways that fur works -- the way it is able to keep seals warm when swimming under ice -- is by lifting up. Then it holds air (or water) next to the animal's body and the warmth of the body heats the air, which provides a layer of insulation. It is the same way a wet suit works. It seems to me that, if you put a sweater on the animal, it is not going to be able bristle up its fur to create that layer.
    About this, I honestly don't know if sweaters and coats are a great idea for warmth for all dogs (my dog has a Christmas sweater because it is adorable, not for the warmth), but the family I work for has a 9 pound yorkie-poo, and he needs a sweater. He will start shivering indoors if it's lower than 65, and if it's below freezing outside he straight up refuses to go outside without his sweater (he will pee in a corner instead of letting me know he needs to go out). Maybe it has to do with being so small, or having hair instead of fur, but he loves his sweaters and jackets when it's cold!
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    we take walks down to -20C. that would be just below 0 F. We have a golden retriever.

    Yep, I was just out with my dog last week when it was about -20 C. She does have thick fur though, and it wasn't as long a walk as normal. (our temperatures range from -40C to +35, at the extremes I won't take her out, but anywhere from -20 to +20 she's ok.)

    The only thing you can do is take your dog out and see how she is, I highly doubt she will have a problem with that temp though.

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